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GOLF SHOTS 


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THE AUTHOR 










Golf Shots 


A BOOK FOR BEGINNERS 
DESCRIBING AND ILLUSTRATING 
THE DIFFERENT STROKES 
IN THE GAME 


By JAMES SHEPHERD, Jr. 

HYANNIS, MASS. 

1924 


Copyright 192 4 by James Shepherd, Jr. 





NOTE 


(xVtes 

.$S 


The remarkable development of golf in the United 
States within the past decade has led to an insistent 
demand for more instruction in the art of playing. 
The intention in the preparation of this wee book 
has been to help meet this demand. 

Although a detailed analysis is quite lacking in so 
far as the strokes proper are concerned, the aim has 
been to show clearly by photographs some of the 
more important points which might, in writing, be 
difficult to elucidate. 

In this treatise on the subject applying especially 
to golf strokes, the aim of the writer has been to 
present existing knowledge in as simple and straight¬ 
forward manner as possible. On many problems 
there is yet need of much critical study, and until 
this is accomplished, there will continue to be doubt 
as to the best methods of instruction. 

The author desires to express his heartiest thanks 
to the men who made this work possible, Mr. Thomas 
F. Tucker (photography) and Mr. Louis M. Boody 
(emendation). 

James Shepherd, Jr. 


MAR fS 1924 

©Cl A 7 7 7583 



GOLF SHOTS 


Before taking up the physical side of the game, 
with which, for the most part, I am to deal, 
I wish to instill into the minds of my readers 
that the mental attitude, as it enters into the 
game, will show its influence to the extent of 
being 50 per cent, of any actual stroke. I do not 
doubt that there are many who will question this 
possibly rash statement; but let me go on with 
my reasons. 

Hazards on the links, such as bunkers, traps, 
quarries, mounds and water, all of which go to 
make up half the game, are tests of mental poise 
and not of physical skill. The muscles used in 
the execution of a golf swing are influenced 
greatly by the mental attitude. Hence the state 
of mind of the player at the moment of impact 
determines to a marked degree the success or 
failure of the shot. 

Picture the golfer taking his stance on an 
elevated tee. A small desert of sand lies one hun¬ 
dred yards out and surrounding the sand are acres 



GOLF SHOTS 


of beautiful golfing turf; namely, the fairway. 
The golfer with an incautious glance toward the 
spot to be avoided, unconsciously retains the pic¬ 
ture of the sand in his mind, and with admirable 
physical reaction lands the drive right in the mid¬ 
dle of the waiting hazard. Can you not imagine 
yourself under similar conditions playing the 
same shot ? 

It ought not to call for a great deal of golfing 
prowess either to carry the sand or to avoid it, 
but such obstacles as this demand and receive a 
degree of attention to which they have no right. 

Traps are scientifically placed on the courses 
to catch the golfer who is afraid. Do not heed 
the trouble awaiting a bad shot but step up to the 
ball with courage and confidence and select the 
spot where you would have your ball go. Fix this 
spot in your mind’s eye and the result, after a lit¬ 
tle practice, will convince you as to the power of 
concentration in golf. 

SHOTS RESULT FROM MENTAL CONTROL OVER 
MUSCULAR EXERTION 


6 


GOLF LESSONS 


Every individual of mature years realizes that 
there is a right and a wrong method in every 
undertaking, therefore, I say to all of you who 
would begin playing the game of golf, “Go to a 
professional and let him start you the right way.” 
He has made a study of the game and has selected 
it as his life work. He is the one to whom every 
beginner should go. 

Some people go without the assistance and in¬ 
struction of a professional because of an uncon¬ 
querable fear of ridicule. Others take up the 
game in their own way simply because they feel 
supreme confidence in their ability to master the 
difficulties alone. Such people as these “hit the 
ball around” during the first season and experi¬ 
ence the sensation, get the thrill, or, as is said in 
the golf world, are “bitten by the bug.” The 
second season finds them going at it with greater 
zeal and before long improvement is shown. Next 
comes the golf talk, and to every one who has 
the patience to grant audience these world-beaters 
will pour forth their own exclusive ideas of how 
the game should be played. 





s 


VISUALIZING THE SHOT 










GOLF SHOTS 


This goes on for but a brief period because the 
golfer of this class has reached his limit. He, 
from this point on, is playing the same game from 
day to day, season to season, and has dropped in¬ 
to the rut with the masses or the universally 
known “Dub Class.” 

For the person who is to start golf by taking 
lessons, the pro will select a set of clubs which 
will suit as regards length, weight and balance. 
This alone is worth a great deal. It is customary 
for the pro to sidestep detail at the first lesson and 
deal only with fundamentals to avoid confusing 
the beginner. The grip, the stance and the general 
swing are first learned, after which comes the 
more detailed analysis of the different strokes. 

The person who takes up the game under in¬ 
struction will improve as long as he plays golf 
because he will know nothing but the proper posi¬ 
tions and the correct movements. All of these be¬ 
come engrained in the physical and mental make¬ 
up of the player while golf lessons are being taken. 

Don’t be a dub. Play the game so that there 
will be a satisfying improvement. Take lessons 
from your local pro. This is the best piece of ad¬ 
vice I can give. 


9 


GOLF SHOTS 



FIG. 2.—NORMAL POSITION OF LEFT HAND. 


10 



GOLF SHOTS 


THE DRIVE 

Do not think that I start with the drive because 
of its being the most sensational shot in the game, 
for this is not my reason for doing so. The swing 
in the drive is that on which all the other swings 
are built. It is the full, true, and correct golf 
swing. 

The Grip 

The position of the hands on the club is more 
important than the majority of beginners think; 
the main object being to cause them to work in 
unison. There are two exceptionally good grips 
employed by a great many golfers; namely, the 
overlapping and the interlocking. In the first, 
the little finger of the right hand overlaps the first 
finger of the left but in the second, these same 
fingers interlock each other. One can easily see 
how either of these grips would insure the close¬ 
ness of the hands so as to make them work 
together and not against each other. I advocate 
the interlocking grip for the simple reason that 
more of the right hand is on the club, a fact which 
makes it easier for the beginner to combat the 
so easily acquired slice. 


11 


GOLF SHOTS 



FIG. 3.—NORMAL POSITION OF LEFT HAND. 


12 











GOLF SHOTS 


Do not hold the club in the palms of the hands. 
The fingers should hold the club because they in¬ 
sure a greater delicacy in the control as the swing 
is made. 

The ball of the left thumb should be placed just 
to the right of the shaft’s center, and the ball of 
the right thumb to the left of the center in such 
a position that it also touches the first finger of 
the same hand. When you have your hands in 
this position you will see there are two V’s formed 
by the thumbs and first fingers of both hands. 
These V’s should point toward the right shoulder. 

All of these details are of equal importance,— 
do not overlook any one of them. Too much stress 
cannot be laid with regard to the finger grip. The 
fingers are possessed with a delicacy which does 
not enter into a palm grip. In order to place a 
golf ball where you would have it go it is only 
natural that you should hold your club in the most 
sensitive part of your hands,—the fingers. There 
is the control. 


13 


GOLF SHOTS 



FIG. 4.—NORMAL POSITION OF BOTH HANDS. 


14 



GOLF SHOTS 



FIG. 5.—NORMAL POSITION OF BOTH HANDS. 


15 


8 — 





GOLF SHOTS 



1G 




GOLF SHOTS 


The Stance 

How far apart should the feet be ? This varies 
according to the person’s stature, build, and length 
of legs. This is a thing, like many others in 
teaching golf, in which individuality has to be con¬ 
sidered and treated accordingly. The feet should 



17 



GOLF SHOTS 


be just so far apart that the balance, while the 
swing is being made, can be easily and comfort¬ 
ably retained. 

The line from toe to toe should be parallel with 
the line of play; i.e., the direction in which the 
ball should go. Do not become confused when 
you see professionals and expert amateurs stand¬ 
ing with the right foot ahead of this line. This is 
called the “open stance” and is so taken because 
all the good players bring their arms and wrists 
in powerfully, and this shifting of the stance in¬ 
sures the correct effect upon the ball’s flight. 

The square stance is the one for the beginner 
as the back swing and follow-through are exe¬ 
cuted with equal ease. The right foot should be 
toed out ever so slightly and the left at about a 
45-degree angle. 

The ball should be opposite the left heel and 
this is the reason: as the correct golf swing is 
made, the head of the club travels in almost a per¬ 
fect circle; if a flawless swing is made it will be 
found that the lowest point in the circle will come 
directly opposite the left heel; therefore, it is only 
right that the ball be teed there. It is at this point 


18 


GOLF SHOTS 


that the club head attains its maximum velocity 
in the speed area of a well-timed stroke. With 
the ball in this position it is much easier for the 
average player to bring the club head around in 
time so that the shaft, at the moment of impact, 
is at right-angles to the line of play. If the stance 
is taken correctly the line from toe to toe will be 
at right-angles to the line from the ball to the left 
heel, and the line of play at right-angles to this. 

The Swing 

Nearly every muscle of the body plays a certain 
part in this. Co-ordination is the first thought, 
and, with this, success is sure to follow. There 
is everything graceful in the execution of the 
proper swing. All critics on the game agree that 
a good golf swing is a graceful movement. A 
good drive is the result of good timing, and the 
timing can be right only when the swing is made 
in perfect rhythm, and perfect rhythm insures 
grace of movement. 

First of all,—relax. Swing the club back at 
that speed which gives you the keenest sensation 
of rhythm and smoothness,—not too quickly, not 


19 


GOLF SHOTS 


too slowly. Start with the knees slightly bent and 
as the body twists to the right, the left knee bends 
a bit more while, contrariwise, the right straight¬ 
ens. Keep the weight equally distributed on both 
feet during the back swing, but at the same time, 
to make the body pivot, raise the left heel off the 
ground a trifle. Many players sway from side to 


* 



FIG. 8—SWINGING BACK. 


20 




GOLF SHOTS 


side, a habit which inevitably produces a dis¬ 
astrous result. Do not sway,—hold the pivot. 

If the amount of weight on each foot is identi¬ 
cal, the chances are that the player’s head will 
stay in the center of the correct circle. If, on the 
other hand, the player’s head moves from side 
to side in the sway, so moves the circle, simply 
because the head is always at the center. 



FIG. 9.—TOP OF SWING FOR DRIVE. 


21 






FIG. 10—TOP OF 


SWING FOR DRIVE. 


oo 








GOLF SHOTS 


Harry Vardon is quoted as having said, “As 
the club goes up, so will it come down.” We un¬ 
derstand from this that if the back swing is right, 
the club will come down to the ball with a certain 
amount of surety. 



FIG. 11.—THE “FLICK OF THE WRISTS.” 


23 





GOLF SHOTS 


Do not lift the club up, but swing it, with the 
wrists and arms. When the club shaft is hori¬ 
zontal at the top of the swing this shows the high¬ 
est development in a perfect back swing. The shaft 
should never go past this point, as this would be 
over-swinging, with the consequent loss of control. 



FIG. 12—HITTING THROUGH THE BALL. 


24 




GOLF SHOTS 


Bring the club head down to the ball with wrists 
and arms. More speed can be imparted to the 
head of the club by the “flick of the wrists” than 
by exerting the whole body in the swing. 

From the time the club leaves the ball in the 
back swing until the impact, the left arm should 
remain very nearly straight. Do not forget that 
this is the arm that guides; if it should bend too 
much a great deal of the control is lost. 

Just after the impact, the weight is transferred 
to the left foot; the right knee, right hip, and 
right shoulder turn into the shot, and the right 
arm goes straight instead of the left as in the 
back swing. If one hits “through” the ball cor¬ 
rectly the right arm will go straight without any 
effort on the part of the player. 

The most difficult thing for beginners to do is, 
apparently, to retain the bent position from the 
waist throughout the swing. In the address, the 
player should bend from the waist toward the 
ball. At the top of the swing he should bend to 
the left, looking over the left shoulder at the ball, 
and in the finish, or follow-through, to the right, 
toward the place formerly occupied by the ball. 



FIG 


13.—FOLLOWING THROUGH 

2G 






GOLF SHOTS 


The body slides into these positions automatically 
and with ease as the player pivots. When this is 
done correctly the center of control, which is the 
head, remains in the same relative position, this 
being most essential to the certainty of the hit. 


Pressing 

To press is fatal,—not only in the drive, but 
in every shot. Pressing is an effort on the part of 
the player to exceed that distance to which the 
driving force of a well-timed stroke limits him. 

There is a certain speed at which each and 
every golfer must swing to get the best results. 
I dare say there are many of the stars who swing 
nearly as hard as their strength allows, but such 
a play with the beginner would be disastrous. 
When a man plays in such a way as to develop 
good form then he is on the right road to hard 
hitting. The longer a golfer practices, the hard¬ 
er he may hit. The ability to hit hard and still 
retain control comes on very gradually. 


27 


GOLF SHOTS 


The Slice and the Hook 

The slice and the hook are two shots in the 
game which the beginner has to combat very 
often. With the professional each of these is an 
accomplished art, but to the average player these 
shots are the greatest mysteries, simply because 
he has acquired them as faults, and is at a loss 
what to do to rid himself of the terrible things. 

To hook and slice at will is a great thing, but 
when the beginner takes these on and is followed 
by either one, or both, through his golfing career, 
it is indeed a serious matter. Of the two, slicing 
is by far the commoner. It is caused by the 
hands leading at the moment of impact. Getting 
the hands ahead in this manner is caused by so 
many different things that it would be impossible 
to treat every chronic sheer alike. The fact re¬ 
mains, however, that with the hands leading at 
the moment of impact, the face of the club is 
drawn across the line of play, thus causing the 
ball to spin with the subsequent break to the right 
as it flies through the air. 

With the hook the causes are naturally the di¬ 
rect opposite. Here, the club face, at the impact 


28 


GOLF SHOTS 


is pushed out, so to speak, causing to be imparted 
to the ball a spin in the opposite direction. This 
shot, as a fault, shows itself in the professional's 
game more than any other, due mostly to hard¬ 
hitting and an over-development of wrist action 
which is just what the average player lacks. 

In the effort to gain distance, a great many 
players will throw the weight and strength into 
the shot too soon. By this I mean that a player 
should wait for the head of the club, in order to 
take advantage of the impetus it has gained in 
the downward swing, also to insure a perfectly- 
timed stroke. Time the blow by waiting for the 
club head. The player's weight is transferred to 
the left foot just exactly at the moment of impact, 
not a fraction of a second before. Another com¬ 
mon fault I have perceived among novices is the 
retaining of the weight on the right foot at the 
impact and thereafter. This is very likely to 
cause a slice and the consequent loss of distance 
and direction. 

To cure a slice or a hook, I would suggest 
briefly, twisting the hands to the right for the 
former and to the left for the latter. This, un- 


29 


GOLF SHOTS 



FIG. 14.—POSITION OF LEFT HAND TO CORRECT SLICING. 


30 





GOLF SHOTS 


derstand, is an adjustment of the grip and must 
be done before the shot is made. Twist the hands 
as directed and proceed with the shot. 

I shall endeavor to illustrate the cause and ef¬ 
fect of this: we shall assume that the face of the 
club is in contact with the ball for, let us say, 
eight inches. We have reason to believe that the 
ball and club are together for a certain distance 
due to the fact that the club must make an impres¬ 
sion in the rubber before any rebound will occur, 
as this is the cause of the ball leaving the face of 
the club and flying through the air. How the ball 
will travel, then, depends upon what goes on dur¬ 
ing contact. If, during the time the club is in 
contact with the ball, the face should go through 
on any line other than that which is parallel to the 
line of play, the ball will, without question, do 
anything but go straight,—it will have spin im¬ 
parted to it. If, in slicing, the hands are twisted 
to the right on the club, the ball will more likely 
go straight because the hands are then in an un¬ 
comfortable position, and in the down swing will 
strive to turn over again into the original posi¬ 
tion and in so doing will turn the club face 


31 


GOLF SHOTS 



FIG. 15—POSITION OF LEFT HAND TO CORRECT HOOKING. 


32 



GOLF SHOTS 


straight. In hooking, everything is the reverse. 
Here, the face of the club is toed in, at the impact 
of course, and as the player pushes out at this 
point the ball is caused to spin to the left, and as 
it flies through the air will naturally curve that 
way. Now if the hands are twisted to the left on 
the club the same result will be noticeable as in the 
slice,— all due to the lack of comfort in the 
changed position of the hands. 

A good drive gives to the golfer an unusual 
thrill, a thrill which cannot be described, but 
which every golfer knows and feels, and which, 
in my belief, constitutes the chief fascination of 
the game. A good drive gives the golfer confi¬ 
dence to play the hole well,—a sort of inspiration, 
while a poor drive is most discouraging. 

Be. content with that distance which your pow¬ 
er allows you, bearing in mind that the long hitters 
need a wider fairway. “The rat with the shortest 
tail gets in the hole the quickest.” 


33 



FIG. 16—STANCE FOR UPHILL BRASSIE SHOT. 


34 






GOLF SHOTS 


THE BRASSIE SHOT 

Here is a shot that is spoiled many times be¬ 
cause of the ball not being teed. The brassie shot 
is nothing more than a drive; probably a little 
more difficult, due mostly to the ball having to be 
played from the ground. This fact should not 
faze the player. 

The brassie is made with more degree of loft 
to the face than that of the driver and this alone 
should be sufficient to give the player courage and 
confidence. Where the ground is level this club 
is swung just like a driver, and the stance should 
be taken exactly as one would take it on the tee. 
There is one condition, however, in playing the 
brassie, which does not enter into driving, and 
that is the irregularity of the ground on which 
the player must stand at times to play this shot. 
Sometimes there is an uphill stance (Case 1), 
sometimes a downhill stance (Case 2), while at 
other times (Case 3) the player must play the 
ball from a sidehill. In each case the stance 
should be altered. 


35 



FIG. 17— STANCE FOR DOWNHILL BRASSIE SHOT 

36 






GOLF SHOTS 


Case 1. Play the ball off the left toe; in other 
words, stand further behind the ball. The low 
point in the circle in an uphill swing, is ahead of 
that which is in a swing on the level. 

Case 2. In playing the ball on a downslope; 
that is, standing with the left foot lower than the 
right, the club will come to the ground earlier in 
the swing; therefore, I suggest standing ahead of 
the ball in such a manner that the ball will be 
no closer to one foot than the other. It is more 
difficult to get the ball into the air from this 
stance than from any other, and for this reason 
I advise players to resort to an iron which has 
more loft to the face. A tendency to retain the 
weight on the right foot here is fatal with any 
club. 

Case 3. When the ball comes to rest in such 
a place that it necessitates the player standing 
above it in order to play the shot, it is well to 
keep the head down or the ball will likely be topped. 
Stand with the ball in the same relative position 
to the left foot as in driving and at the same time 
retard the right foot a trifle to offset the tendency 
to slice. 

There is another position in which the player 
will oftentimes find himself, and that is on a side- 


37 



FIG. 18.—STANCE ABOVE BALL. 


38 









GOLF SHOTS 


hill, when the ball comes to rest in such a place 
that the player’s feet are below the level of the 
ball. This is just the opposite condition from that 
I have just described. It is reasonable, then, to 
employ the opposite method in playing the shot. 
The ball is liable to be hooked from this position 
if the right foot is not advanced. 

The brassie is a very handy implement among 
those so-called “short-hitters,” as it is fully as 
powerful a club as the driver. The best practice 
I know of, for the golfer who may be unsteady 
with this club, is to use it from the teeing-ground, 
using little or no sand. By doing this, more con¬ 
fidence is gained for the long shots through the 
fairway. Short-hitters should spend a great deal 
of time on the brassie shot in practicing because 
they will be called upon many times to use this 
club against a powerful mid-iron shot, played by 
their long-hitting brothers. It is an understood 
fact that a ball is placed more accurately with an 
iron than with wood, and for this reason the long- 
hitters have the advantage over those folks who 
do not get the distance. From this will be under¬ 
stood my reason for urging practice. 


39 



FIG. 19.—STANCE BELOW BALL 

40 











GOLF SHOTS 


One of the greatest mistakes made among golf¬ 
ers is underclubbing, i.e., the use of a club with 
insufficient power for the requisite distance. It 
should be remembered that there is a club for 
every distance. Take a club that has enough 
power in it to drive the ball over the green, in 
preference to one which is incapable of even 
reaching the green. When a player chooses the 
latter, pressing is encouraged and this causes a 
faulty stroke. When in doubt about a mid-iron 
playing the desired distance, do not hesitate to 
call upon the brassie, for this will give to you the 
necessary yardage with no effort in the swing. 

Play the brassie whenever the distance calls 
for it,—do not underclub. 

THE MID-IRON 

In competitions where the contestants are al¬ 
lowed but one club, it will be noticed that prac¬ 
tically the whole field uses the mid-iron. It is 
the “confidence club.” Put this implement in the 
hands of a person taking his first lesson and he 


41 



FIG. 20.—NORMAL STANCE FOR MID-IRON 

42 

















GOLF SHOTS 


will hit the ball fairly, six times to every one time 
with any other club in the bag. It is a sort of 
“in-between” club. It is of average length, aver¬ 
age loft, and is designed to play the average dis¬ 
tance. 

Boy caddies, who in most instances have not 
the means to outfit themselves with the full set, 
get their start with the mid-iron. Later in life 
these lads become leading professionals. 

There are two thoughts which enter the mind 
of the player as he is about to play a shot; first, 
the distance the ball must travel, and second, the 
proper club to use. Choose the mid-iron when the 
distance is not great enough for the brassie, also 
when the lie is unsuitable. With the majority, 
the lie seems to be the first consideration, and I 
think that this is a great mistake. When the ball 
leaves the fairway the average golfer draws 
mechanically from his bag the mashie, or niblick, 
or some other club with pronounced extricating 
powers. This is usually done without thought, the 
player just saying to himself, “Heavens, Tm in 
trouble now; I must get out!” So, with a certain 


43 


GOLF SHOTS 


amount of fear and doubt, he smashes into the 
ground and ball, when in most instances there 
are but a few spears of long grass around the 
ball. 

Think of the distance your ball must cover. 
Then, if the lie should be so impossible as to pro¬ 
hibit the use of a club which would get you there, 
choose the nearest thing to it. The mid-iron can 
be used many times in the rough where some play¬ 
ers will choose a mashie or mashie-niblick, with 
the consequent loss of valuable distance. 

The execution of an iron shot differs from that 
of a shot with a wooden club. In the first place, 
the iron has a shorter shaft; this necessitates the 
player standing closer to the ball. He also must 
stoop more, i.e., bend from the waist. In stand¬ 
ing closer to the ball, the circle, which the club 
head describes in the swing, is made more upright. 
This means that the stance must be shifted. With 
the wooden clubs, as I have already mentioned, 
the ball should be opposite the left heel,—but, 
with the mid-iron the player should stand further 
ahead of the ball, that is to say, with the ball 
opposite a point not quite midway between the 
feet. Advance the right foot. 


44 


GOLF SHOTS 


The more upright the swing is, the more chance 
there is of hoisting the ball up into the air thus 
wasting in acquiring altitude the force which 
should give yardage. For this reason I empha¬ 
size the point of standing a bit ahead of the ball 
with the irons. When such a stance is taken the 
ball is hit with a descending blow and therefore 
will shoot along on a low trajectory. One attains 
greater distance with the mid-iron by executing 
the shot in this manner. I may also add that the 
ball is less subjected to the high winds which give 
battle to all of us in our effort to keep the little 
sphere in the right direction. 

In playing the mid-iron the player should main¬ 
tain a certain amount of rigidity, although it must 
be ever so slight. This is, of course, unthinkable 
when playing the wooden clubs. To make this 
clear, we shall assume that the mid-iron was 
chosen for a shot because the distance was not 
great, enough for the brassie and too great for the 
mashie, the lie not being considered. In this case 
the golfer has two things in mind; the distance 
and the direction. He must control his ball so 
that not only will it go straight, but also will 


45 



46 




GOLF SHOTS 


neither go too far nor fall short. With this 
slight rigidity of which I speak there will be a 
more certain control. Simply grip the club a wee 
bit firmer in the fingers and be conscious of a 
straight left arm; hold the body steady as you 
swing, cut down on the wrist action and hit 
“through” the ball with a crisp, deliberate punch. 
In the back swing, the club shaft will not reach 
the horizontal (and in the mid-iron stroke should 
not) if the wrist action is made less. 

Leaning into the shot is helpful. This will aid 
the player in his effort to “hit down on the ball.” 
The great majority of professionals do this; the 
great majority of amateurs “hit up on the ball.” 
If, at the moment of impact, the club head is de¬ 
scending, the ball will more likely travel low and 
straight. If, on the other hand, the ball is hit 
on the up swing the effect will be the reverse. 


47 


GOLF SHOTS 


When the would-be golfer learns to “hit down 
on the ball” with the irons, there will be less top¬ 
ping, fewer lost balls and, above all, the score 
card will be more attractive. 



FIG. 22.—“HITTING DOWN ON THE BALL.” 


48 




GOLF SHOTS 


THE MASHIE 

“How I dread this club!” exclaimed one of my 
pupils, as she drew from her bag the mashie. I 
have reason to believe that the sentiments of the 


FIG. 23—MID-IRON SHOT—HALF WAY THROUGH. 



49 




GOLF SHOTS 


masses were voiced in this exclamation. The man¬ 
ner in which the beginner goes about playing a 
shot with the mashie is indeed sufficient cause 
for an onlooker to believe that this imple¬ 
ment must be something to fear. It would seem 
also that treachery lurked therein as we listen 
to some golfers tell of the actions of the ball 
after it has been hit with this club. There are 
very few players, outside of the pro and expert 
amateur ranks, who handle the mashie with any 
apparent skill. The knowledge of the fact that the 
ball must be placed within a limited area is in it¬ 
self disconcerting to the beginner, and is primarily 
the cause of his lack of skill. 

Assuming that the mashie is being used for a 
pitch to the green, which is partly surrounded by 
traps and hazards of various descriptions, the 
player will be harassed by the fear of a probably 
disastrous result. This is why the majority hold 
this really wonderful club in such great repug¬ 
nance. It is not the club; it is the shot they are 
called upon to play with the club. 

Let the beginner hit the ball down the fairway 
without thought of placement, and shot after shot 


50 


GOLF SHOTS 


will sail away beautifully, but to station the play¬ 
er 75 to 100 yards from the green, with a dozen 
balls to play, and ask him to drop these balls there¬ 
on with the mashie would be an entirely different 
proposition. The player’s mind is then in a state 
of confusion. 

There are really two stages through which one 
passes in learning the mashie shot; first, to hit 
the ball in the correct manner, and second, to land 
the ball consistently well in a designated area. 
The last cannot be done without a good knowledge 
of the first. 

When a mashie shot is properly played there 
will be very little roll to the ball after it lands. 
It should carry to the green and stay there. To 
impart backspin to the ball is the surest way to 
make it stay “put.” When a ball will do this it 
has been properly hit. What goes on at the point 
of impact determines whether or not the ball will 
have the desired spin. As the head of the club de¬ 
scends to the ball, the first contact should be made 
with the bottom edge of the blade at a point on 
the ball just below its center. From this point 
the blade should continue downward but at the 


51 



FIG. 24—NORMAL STANCE FOR MASHIE 

52 






GOLF SHOTS 


same time forward in the line of play. The blade 
will now have reached the turf and the ball leaves 
the face of the club with a tremendous backspin. 
It will be understood from this that the ball is 
hit first; after which the club takes the turf. (Re¬ 
place the divot.) The ball will, upon hitting the 
green, “bite” and stay. 



FIG. 25.—EXTREME TOP OF MASHIE SWING. 




GOLF SHOTS 


The feet should be closer together in this stroke, 
with the right foot well advanced. The player 
must be able to determine the necessary strength 
by fixing in his mind’s eye the exact distance and 
direction while the “preliminary waggle” is being 
made. He will swing his club back only to that 



FIG. 26—HITTING DOWN AND THROUGH. 


54 




GOLF SHOTS 


point necessary to give sufficient impetus to send 
the ball the required distance. During the back 
swing the wrists should not twist so much as to 
cause the club shaft and the left arm to form an 
acute angle at the top of the swing. Swing to 
that point where a perfect right-angle will be 
formed. The arms should be swung in, around, 
and close to the body, while the right elbow works 
close to the right hip. Keep the left arm as 
straight as possible until after the impact. The 
face of the club should be turned open in the back 
swing by twisting the wrists to the right. This 
is done so that the player will secure the full bene¬ 
fit of the loft of the blade. 

Pull the blade down into the ball with the 
left hand. Do not feel the right hand working 
until the moment of impact and thereafter. Above 
all, do not stop at the ball, but hit right through 
courageously, allowing the head of the mashie 
to travel on after the ball in a straight line close 
to the ground. 

The closer one is to the green the more he 
should “choke” the club. That is to say: one 


55 


GOLF SHOTS 


should take his grip farther down on the shaft 
because not so much leverage is needed, and bet¬ 
ter control will be felt. For a shorter stroke, the 
stance should be taken closer to the ball and with 
the feet closer together. Always “hit down on 
the ball” with the mashie; the blow should be a 
descending one. 


t 



FIG. 27—FINISH OF MASHIE SWING. 


5 G 







GOLF SHOTS 


It would be impossible to ascertain how fast 
a ball must spin for it to come to rest at the spot 
on which it lands, but it is needless to say, that 
the speed at which the club goes down and through 
determines the velocity and backspin of the ball. 
The amount of resistance which the putting- 
green surface may have to offer has a great deal 
to do with the ball “sticking.” In the summer, 
when the greens are hard and dry, it is naturally 
more difficult to keep the ball from running off, 
and under such conditions the backspin shot will 
be found wonderfully effective. 

Sometimes it is easier to cause a ball to stop 
by imparting a diagonal spin to it. This is done 
when the face of the club is drawn diagonally 
across the line of play during contact, but, as 
in the other method, the blade is descending all 
the while. With this shot, the ball after land¬ 
ing, will jump to the right and stop. The stroke 
is best made when the face of the club is pulled 
down and across the line of play with the left 
hand. “Shanking” is a very common fault in this 
shot. This is caused when the socket of the iron 


57 


GOLF SHOTS 


hits the ball, causing it to shoot off at almost a 
right-angle. It is the most miserable shot in golf. 
I should advise beginners to hit down through 
the ball in the natural manner in preference to this 
latter type of mashie play. 

Practice and confidence will win out, but with¬ 
out the courage to hit down with a deliberate 
punch there will be but a trifling reward for the 
novice. Do not try to scoop the ball into the air 
by tilting back with the body as the club goes 
through. Let the club down to its work,—it will 
play its part beautifully if you will but give it a 
chance. Remember that the mashie is built to 
make the ball rise into the air quickly, so why not 
let it do the work by hitting down instead of try¬ 
ing to lift it yourself ? 

Alex Smith, the well-known professional of the 
old school, in describing a good mashie shot to 
someone, said, “Tak’ a bit o’ turf and drop the 
ba’ on the green like a fried egg.” So, if you 
would have the ball stop on the green after land¬ 
ing, “take the feet from the ball.” 

A great many of the novice class will hold 
to the mashie until the ball finally stops on the 


58 


GOLF SHOTS 


green. For these I have a suggestion to offer 
which, if carried out, will be of great value to 
some if not all. It is agreed that a ball is placed 
more easily when it is rolled than when it is 
pitched, first, because there is more chance of 
hitting it accurately, i.e., less chance of a “flub,” 
and second, because when the intervening ground 
is unobstructed and true, it is the easier of the 
two shots. If the ball is but a few yards from 
the edge of the green, and there is nothing to 
pitch over, such as a bank, a trap or long grass, 
why not run the ball up? Without a doubt this 
is much easier to do. The game itself is difficult 
enough so why not make it easy when the oppor¬ 
tunity presents itself? To run a ball up, a club 
with a straight face should be used; anything be¬ 
tween a mid-iron and a putter. 

There are times of course when such obstacles 
as I have mentioned above make it necessary for 
the player to pitch the ball; in which case it is 
wise to choose a club with more degree of loft 
than that of the mashie, especially if the green 
be close at hand. Modern golf course architecture 
calls for many hazards about the greens; so that, 


59 



FIG. 28.—POSITION FOR THE RUN-UP SHOT 

60 





GOLF SHOTS 


when a player’s ball lies in such a place that it 
necessitates his playing the ball over one of these 
hazards, the only club to use is that which will 
cause the ball to rise abruptly into the air and 
also come down at an abrupt angle. Choose the 
niblick for this, and with the blade well turned 
out, cut through below the ball after the manner 
of the regular mashie shot but, of course, with 
less swing. This will cause the ball to backspin 
and so make it less liable to run across the green 
and into trouble on the other side. 

To those who have acquired the knack of back- 
spinning a ball there is little left to learn in mashie 
play. There are scores of devotees of the game 
who can make the ball rise into the air as they ap¬ 
proach the green, but in most instances the ball 
has not the required “bite,” which fact causes 
the then dismayed golfer to call for his niblick in¬ 
stead of his putter. 

Considering the severity of the natural and 
man-made hazards around the greens of today, 
the player who has not the backspin shot in his 
bag will be continually piling up unnecessary 
strokes on his card. 


61 



62 




FIG. 29 —PITCHING OVER OBSTACLE NEAR GREEN 

















63 


FIG. 30—PITCHING OVER OBSTACLE NEAR GREEN. 












GOLF SHOTS 


THE BUNKER SHOT 

There are a number of different kinds of bunk¬ 
er shots, so that it is impossible to lay down any 
one hard and fast rule or method governing this 
play. Bunkers and traps will confront the golfer 
all the way from tee to green, generally speaking, 
and as these vary greatly as to depth, size and 
shape, it is not likely that the player will find the 
conditions twice alike. 

First of all, the golfing public must get away 
from the thought that a niblick must always be 
called upon to get the ball out of these places. 
Many a championship has been clinched at the 
critical moment by the use of a brassie, spoon or 
mid-iron from the sand. Sometimes a putter is 
a most effective club in a sand trap. 

As I have suggested in a preceding chapter, the 
distance to cover should be the first thought, and 
the lie, or the conditions under which the player 
must negotiate the shot, the second thought. If 
the green cannot possibly be reached choose the 
club that will get the ball out and give it the great- 


64 


GOLF SHOTS 


est distance. Usually around the green will be 
found the traps with greatest depth and steepest 
banks; so the club with the most loft should be 
used in these. When the ball is lying in the mid¬ 
dle of a wide, shallow trap, with the green a good 
distance away, it will be very much easier for the 
player to recover with a mid-iron than with a nib¬ 
lick. His ball will come to rest farther down the 
fairway, in all probability within reach of the 
green; whereas, if the other club had been used 
he would have succeeded in getting out only. 
There is another point to this: There is more 
doubt, fear and general confusion in the mind of 
the player when he takes the niblick, because he 
knows this club was built to get the ball out of 
trouble, and this fact alone has caused many to 
stay right in that “trouble” until two, three, and 
sometimes four strokes have been wasted in the 
attempt to recover. 

When the bank of the trap is not high, take 
the club that will get the ball “there” and forget 
all about conditions and objects around you. When 
the bank is high and the ball is close up to it, with 


65 




FIG. SI.—POSITION FOR EXPLOSION SHOT. 
































GOLF SHOTS 


the green close at hand I would suggest the use 
of a club with great loft. Play the ball off the 
right foot, with the left well retarded; turn the 
blade out, swing hard, coming down across the 
line of play. At the moment of impact the hands 
should be leading. In playing this shot the club 
should enter the sand about two inches behind 



Fia. 32. -EXPLOSION (NOTE PALL IN AIH). 


157 




GOLF SHOTS 



the ball and then cut through below it. The 
explosion of sand is what gets the ball up and 
out. The ball rises sluggishly and lands “lifeless.” 
If the ball lands on the green the player may rest 
assured it will stay there when this type of shot 
is played, because there will be no roll. 


FIG. 33—POSITION FOR LONG SHOT FROM SHALLOW TRAP. 


68 





GOLF SHOTS 


When the trap is shallow and much distance is 
needed the ball should be hit as cleanly as possible. 
The mode of play here is much different from 
that which I have just described,—the ball is hit 



FIG. 34—TOP OF SWING FOR LONG SHOT FROM SHALLOW TRAP. 


69 





GOLF SHOTS 


before the sand. If the use of a mashie is re¬ 
quired to get the ball out and on its way, simply 
play it as a regular mashie shot from the turf, 
hitting down through the ball into the sand. Play 



FIG. 35—HIT THE BALL BEFORE THE SAND. 


70 








GOLF SHOTS 


a mid-iron just as it should be played from the 
fairway, taking care not to hit the sand behind the 
ball. 

As I have said, sometimes a brassie or spoon 
may be used successfully from the sand in a shal¬ 
low bunker. In this case, it is best to get the 
ball off by hitting little or no sand at all. If the 
ball happens to be in a foot print or other depres¬ 
sion, it is, of course, wise to use a club with con¬ 
siderable loft to the face. When this sort of lie 
is encountered the ball and sand should be struck 
simultaneously. It is best to stand closer to the 
ball, as this tends to make the swing more upright, 
causing the club head to descend to the ball on a 
sharper angle and so lessens the chances of hit¬ 
ting behind it. 

If, in playing a long shot from a sand trap, 
the player hits behind the ball, the shot is spoiled. 
The reader will readily understand that if the 
speed and control of the club is spent in the sand 
behind the ball, the attempt is fruitless. By the 
time the club gets through to the ball, there will 
not be sufficient power to give it distance. 


71 



FIG. 36. 


POSITION FOR PUTTING. 


72 

















GOLF SHOTS 


Let there be no misunderstanding in regard to 
these two kinds of bunker shots. In the one, the 
attempt should be to cause the ball to rise quickly 
into the air and drop “dead.” This is when 
the trap is deep and the bank high, with the 
green close at hand. In the other, the trap is 
shallow and much distance is needed; so the at¬ 
tempt here should be to cause the ball to travel 
along a low trajectory and gain as much yardage 
as possible. 

Sand in bunkers offers a very unstable foot¬ 
hold due to its loose, shifting nature. It is well 
for the player to make his stance secure by twist¬ 
ing his feet back and forth, thereby allowing them 
to settle. An infirm stance has caused many dis¬ 
tressing shots. 

PUTTING 

I can safely say that the deciding stroke in the 
great majority of golf matches has been played 
on the green. Here is the place where the game 
is won and lost. Let there be no alibis here, for 
luck enters not into this department of the game, 


73 


GOLF SHOTS 


Women are on a par with men at this; strength 
and power play no part in putting. The state of 
equality, however, rests here alone, because 
women are not gifted naturally with the muscular 
ability to hit hard as are men. 

Although I wish to be absolutely impartial 
I cannot refrain from stating that, in my ex¬ 
perience, I have found women to be possessed 
with a certain precision of touch the absence of 
which is so unmistakably evident in man’s initial 
trial at the game. 

Touch is the word, for without this, half the 
battle is lost, whether it be with a driver or putter, 
mid-iron or mashie. 

Touch is of paramount importance in putting. 
When this is wanting the player is without confi¬ 
dence, courage and control. Without the feeling 
of touch the player putts blindly, hoping and pray¬ 
ing all the while that some unforeseen influence 
will guide his ball truly on its way and into the 
hole. This kind of playing takes the joy out of the 
game and the heart out of the golfer. 

Right here I should like to describe touch as I 
have conceived it in putting. It is the faculty of 


74 


GOLF SHOTS 


feeling the resistance of the putter head as it 
swings toward and “through the ball.” Having 
this the player can, with a great amount of surety, 
estimate the length of back swing which the dis¬ 
tance and “speed” of the green calls for. I can 
best describe the effect of feeling the putter head’s 
resistance by comparing the hit to that feeling of 
solidity in a satisfying drive. Every golfer should 
know or has experienced this. The absence of this 
solid feeling assures the player of the non-exist¬ 
ence of touch in his stroke. Every player can 
acquire this faculty and I dare say most players 
have felt the brief possession of it at some time or 
other. Those who have experienced it for a day 
only to lose it overnight are in the majority. This 
is not to be wondered at, for the same thing may 
happen in regard to any and every shot in the 
game. 

Touch is lost at the top of the swing. When the 
stroke is started with a jerk, or with too much 
speed, or force, rhythm is lost and with it goes 
touch, for without rhythm, touch will never be 
felt. To play safe on this, my advice is to allow 


75 


GOLF SHOTS 


the down swing to start itself. Do not hasten 
the stroke. Hit the ball firmly, but do not force 
the swing. The wrist action will be automatic 
as the amount of force will have been predeter¬ 
mined by the player's judgment of the distance 
and the length of back swing. 

There are three fundamentals in putting and 
they are: position, judgment and touch. I have 
chosen to describe the last first, because of its 
importance in all golf shots. 

There are many things in putting to test the 
judgment of a player. There is, (1) the dis¬ 
tance, (2) the direction, (3) the speed of the 
green, and (4) the contour of the surface; this 
last offering a great variety of tricky paths over 
which the ball must travel. 

(1) An improvement of the player's judgment 
of distance is gained in practice alone. Do not 
fall short of the hole, but bear in mind the time 
worn axiom, “Never up, never in." It is better 
to putt two feet past than six inches short, as the 
ball will be given the chance of dropping in. 

(2) Direction is usually bad when a putt is 
hurried. It is an excellent plan to sight the line 


76 


GOLF SHOTS 


of play from behind the ball before the stroke is 
made. In addressing the ball, look well to the 
hole; once, twice,—yes, three times, as this is what 
determines the right-angle at which the blade must 
be turned in relation to the line which the ball 
must be started on. In short, look at the line and 
then at the putter blade in repeated succession. 

(3) A fast or slippery green calls for more 
precision of touch than does a slow one. With 
the former it is better to allow the green to take 
the ball instead of hitting deliberately for the 
cup. Control of direction must be firmly centered 
in the touch at the impact. If a fast green is true, 
much pleasure may be derived from putting there¬ 
on. The player knows well that success or failure 
rests with him and not with the lucky or unlucky 
“kicks,” which the ball may receive. Putting 
on a slow surface is different entirely; my sug¬ 
gestion here being to hit firmly and deliberately 
for the back of the cup. 

(4) When a sidehill putt confronts the golfer, 
he should make sufficient allowance for the slope 
so that the ball will come to the hole from the 
high side. Four out of five sidehill putts roll 


77 


GOLF SHOTS 


down before the hole has been reached. Do not 
be afraid to hit the ball well up the hill as there 
is a greater chance of its falling into the hole 
from the high edge than from the low edge. It 
will be noticed that the ball will stop much closer 
to the hole if this suggestion be carried out. 



FIG. 37—SWING BACK WITH THE WRISTS. 


78 




GOLF SHOTS 


There are a great many different putting 
styles. What suits one, may not suit another; 
what feels comfortable to one, feels oftentimes 
uncomfortable to the other. The position for 
putting is of little importance, only that the player 
must refrain from forcing himself into an unnat¬ 
ural one. Adopt a putting style wherein you feel 
perfectly poised and comfortable, and do not 
change. 

Certain fundamentals will be found common 
to the styles employed by all professionals in putt¬ 
ing, but all have their individual peculiarities. 
These fundamentals are: The head over the 
ball, most of the weight on the left foot, with the 
ball opposite, and inclining the putter shaft a little 
to the left, thus causing a descending blow. 

When one hits down in putting, the ball holds 
to the green better, and is therefore less liable 
to be “kicked” off the line. Putt with the wrists 
and fingers, keeping the arms and body out of 
the stroke, bearing in mind that precision of 
touch counts more than anything else. 


79 


GOLF SHOTS 



FIG. 38.—A FIRM HIT. 


80 











GOLF SHOTS 


PUTTING RULES 


1. Be confident. “You know it’s going in.” 

2. Be calm in that moment of keen agony. 
“You’re a better putter than he.” 

3. Shoot for the back of the cup. “Never 
up, never in.” 

4. Don’t throw your putter. “It might break.” 

5. Hole them all,—concede none. “Be honest 
with yourself.” 

6. Be cheerful when you miss. “Golf is a re- 
vealer of character.” 


GOLF, UNLIKE MOST GAMES, MAY BE PLAYED AND 
ENJOYED BY ALL AGES 


81 








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